Written Answers Friday 2 March 2007

Scottish Executive

Cancer

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many women were diagnosed with ovarian cancer in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: Data on the number of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer are available by NHS board and year (1980 to 2003) on the Information Services Division website at: www.isdscotland.org/isd/files/cancer_ovary_inc.xls.

Children's Hearings

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive in what percentage of cases over the last four years, where a children’s hearing determined a compulsory supervision requirement for a child who resided with a single birth parent, a child’s place of residence was decided by a residence order made under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995.

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive in what percentage of cases over the last four years, where a children’s hearing determined a compulsory supervision requirement for a child who resided with a single birth parent as a result of a residence order made under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, does the compulsory supervision requirement required reversal of the residence order and require the child to reside with the non-resident birth parent.

Robert Brown: The information requested is not available.

  A children’s hearing cannot make residence orders as this is a matter for the court.

  The Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration Annual Report 2005-06 has information about the numbers of children referred, the grounds for referral, the living groups of children referred and Hearings decisions. For example, in 2005-06, 46% of children referred lived in a single parent household. A copy of the report is available at http://www.scra.gov.uk/ch_review.html.

Class Sizes

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of class sizes in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools are above the national average.

Hugh Henry: In September 2006, 56% of primary classes were above the national average class size of 23.6. Class size data for secondary schools is not routinely collected as part of the annual school census.

Class Sizes

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in reducing class sizes to 20 for S1 and S2 mathematics and English classes.

Hugh Henry: Excellent progress is being made. We have fully delivered the resources and teacher numbers needed to enable local authorities to reduce S1/S2 Maths and English classes to 20 by August 2007.

Communities

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to replace the discontinued Local Capital Grants Scheme with a new scheme of grant assistance for the upgrading of village and community facilities.

Sarah Boyack: The Executive plans to promote social and economic development in rural communities in future through the Scotland Rural Development Programme for 2007-13. The programme will provide support for the provision and enhancement of facilities that contribute to the vibrancy of rural communities.

  In the meantime, the Rural Development Small Awards Fund (RDSAF) is available to promote social development on a small scale and has a maximum funding limit of £5,000.

Crown Office and Procurators Fiscal Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33051 by Elish Angiolini on 21 January 2003, what hourly rates and what grades are applied for staff when calculating the costs of individuals working in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service on projects and tasks.

Elish Angiolini QC: The average gross hourly rates for the pay bands of staff working in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service for financial year 2006-07 are given in the following table:

  

Pay Band
Hourly Rate Based on Gross Average Pay


 B
£11.60


 C
£16.19


 D
£19.40


 E
£26.21


 E(L)
£31.30


 F
£35.97


 F(L)
£39.10


 G
£43.20


 SCS 1
£74.36


 SCS 1A
£83.04


 SCS 2
£102.82


 SCS 3
£127.42



  Notes:

  1. Gross average costs includes basic salary, employers’ superannuation contributions and national insurance payments.

  2. SCS = Senior Civil Service.

  3. These figures do not incorporate the results of the 2006 pay settlement.

Economy

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the economic and social impact will be on the Scottish parliamentary constituency of Dumbarton of a £30 million reduction in spending at the Faslane naval base.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the economic and social impact will be on the Scottish parliamentary constituency of Clydebank and Milngavie of a £30 million reduction in spending at the Faslane naval base.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the economic and social impact will be on the Scottish parliamentary constituency of Argyll and Bute of a £30 million reduction in spending at the Faslane naval base.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the economic and social impact will be on the West of Scotland parliamentary region of a £30 million reduction in spending at the Faslane naval base.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the economic and social impact will be on the Glasgow parliamentary region of a £30 million reduction in spending at the Faslane naval base.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the economic and social impact will be on the Highlands and Islands parliamentary region of a £30 million reduction in spending at the Faslane naval base.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the economic and social impact will be on Scotland of a £30 million reduction in spending at the Faslane naval base.

Allan Wilson: HM Naval Base Clyde (Faslane) has launched a project which aims to reduce annual expenditure by £30 million by the end of 2011-12. The project is planned to report later in the year and no decisions have yet been taken, with implementation of any proposals unlikely before April 2008. It is therefore not possible to estimate the potential economic and social impacts at this time, as the specific nature of the spending reductions are unknown.

  The project is fully coherent with the Naval Base Review, which is currently looking at infrastructure requirements for the Royal Navy.

Employment

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive what training is funded under the PACE (Partnership Action for Continuing Employment) initiative.

Allan Wilson: PACE assistance for appropriate training, to help redundant workers access opportunities for continuing or alternative employment, is tailored to meet the specific needs of the individuals concerned.

Employment

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive what training is available under the PACE (Partnership Action for Continuing Employment) initiative.

Allan Wilson: Under the PACE initiative, appropriate training to help redundant workers access opportunities for continuing or alternative employment is tailored to meet the specific needs of the individuals concerned. Such training will be arranged with the support of the initiative and will typically be delivered by Further Education colleges or other local training providers.

Employment

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive what time limits are placed on training offered under the PACE (Partnership Action for Continuing Employment) initiative.

Allan Wilson: PACE assistance for appropriate training, to help redundant workers access opportunities for continuing or alternative employment, is tailored to meet the specific needs of the individuals concerned. As such, no hard and fast time limits are applied, with the timescales being determined according to the circumstances of each case.

Employment

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive what cost limits are placed on training offered under the PACE (Partnership Action for Continuing Employment) initiative.

Allan Wilson: PACE assistance for appropriate training, to help redundant workers access opportunities for continuing or alternative employment, is tailored to meet the specific needs of the individuals concerned. As such no hard and fast cost limits are applied, with the amount of the public sector contribution being determined according to the circumstances of each case.

Employment

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the PACE (Partnership Action for Continuing Employment) initiative includes access to, and payment for, training in appropriate safety requirements or qualifications for specifically identified jobs.

Allan Wilson: PACE assistance for appropriate training, to help redundant workers access opportunities for continuing or alternative employment, is tailored to meet the specific needs of the individuals concerned. This can include contributing to the cost of study towards safety and/or technical qualifications for specific types of jobs.

Enterprise

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (Sol): To ask the Scottish Executive how much public money was provided to the Simclar Group in respect of its operations in Ayrshire and Dunfermline; how many jobs were (a) promised and (b) created, and how much money has been clawed back from the group.

Allan Wilson: In 1999, Simclar (Ayrshire) Ltd accepted an RSA offer of £1.5 million for a project that planned to safeguard 160 jobs. The grant was paid in full. To date, none of the grant has been recovered but the Executive has lodged a claim with the administrators in respect of the RSA paid.

  Simclar International Ltd has received two RSA grants for projects at its Dunfermline facility, both dating back to the 1990s. It received £600,000 for a project to create 150 new jobs (206 actually created) and a further £1.3 million for a project that safeguarded 480 jobs. The company fully met all its obligations under the terms of the grant agreement and no grant was recovered.

  Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire has paid £113,275 in grants to Simclar (Ayrshire) Ltd. No new jobs were linked to these grants and there has been no claw back.

  Scottish Enterprise Fife assistance in respect of Simclar’s Dunfermline facility has amounted to £656,537. Again, no new jobs were linked to these grants and there has been no claw back.

Europe

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in formulating the new European Regional Development Fund programme.

Allan Wilson: The Executive undertook a public consultation on the draft operational programmes for Lowlands and uplands Scotland and the Highlands and Islands for the 2007-13 period. This consultation ended on 8 January 2007 and responses are currently being analysed. The responses, along with the Executive reply to these responses, will be made available on the Scottish Executive website. The operational programmes will then be formally submitted to the European Commission during March 2007.

Hospitals

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S20-12000 by Mr Andy Kerr on 15 February 2007 ( Official Report c. 32164), what the basis is for his statement, in relation to Glasgow’s new children’s hospital, that "the outline business case is scheduled to be submitted to the Health Department in early summer".

Mr Andy Kerr: The statement is based on information received from officials within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Housing

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many public sector homes have been sold under the rent to mortgage scheme since the scheme’s inception, also broken down by year.

Rhona Brankin: Table 1 lists the number of rent to mortgage sales of public sector dwellings. This includes dwellings owned by local authorities, Scottish Homes and new towns (when in existence).

  Table 1: Rent to Mortgage Sales of Local Authority, New Town and Scottish Homes Stock, Financial Year Figures 1989-90 to 2003-04

  

Year
Rent to Mortgage Sales


 1989-90
17


 1990-91
118


 1991-92
166


 1992-93
418


 1993-94
131


 1994-95
87


 1995-96
84


 1996-97
63


 1997-98
32


 1998-99
20


 1999-2000
34


 2000-01
7


 2001-02
9


 2002-03
8


 2003-04
2


 All Years
1,196



  Source: Scottish Executive Housing Statistics Branch, SALES3 returns

  Notes:

  1. For purposes of comparability, data for 2002-03 onwards include sales for Dumfries and Galloway, Glasgow and Scottish Borders where complete stock transfers took place in the course of 2003. Figures exclude other housing association stock but include Scottish Homes stock.

  2. The Housing Scotland Act 2001 repealed the rent to mortgage scheme with effect from 30 September 2002. Applications made before this date resulted in a small number of sales in 2003-04.

Housing

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many public sector homes have been sold under the right to buy scheme since the scheme’s inception.

Rhona Brankin: Between 1979-80 and 2005-06 there were 421,635 sales of public sector dwellings under the right to buy scheme. This excludes sales under the rent to mortgage scheme and other voluntary sales to sitting tenants. Public sector dwellings include those owned by local authorities, Scottish Homes and new towns (when in existence).

  Table 1 shows the number of such sales in each year since the scheme’s inception.

  Table 1: Right to Buy Sales of Local Authority, New Town and Scottish Homes Stock, Financial Year Figures 1979-80 to 2005-06

  

Year
Right to Buy Sales


 1979-80
2,629


 1980-81
4,580


 1981-82
9,810


 1982-83
13,368


 1983-84
15,171


 1984-85
13,611


 1985-86
11,915


 1986-87
12,038


 1987-88
18,609


 1988-89
27,394


 1989-90
32,756


 1990-91
25,651


 1991-92
20,877


 1992-93
20,279


 1993-94
18,615


 1994-95
20,001


 1995-96
14,974


 1996-97
14,144


 1997-98
15,467


 1998-99
13,187


 1999-2000
13,803


 2000-01
13,502


 2001-02
13,530


 2002-03
17,376


 2003-04
15,597


 2004-05
12,379


 2005-06
10,372


 All Years
421,635



  Source: Scottish Executive Housing Statistics Branch, SALES3 returns.

  Note: For purposes of comparability, data for 2002-03 onwards include sales for Dumfries and Galloway, Glasgow and Scottish Borders where complete stock transfers took place in the course of 2003. Figures exclude other housing association stock but include Scottish Homes stock.

Housing

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many rural home ownership grants have been approved in (a) Caithness, (b) Sutherland, (c) Orkney, (d) Shetland, (e) the Western Isles, (f) Ross-shire, (g) Inverness-shire, (h) Skye, (i) Lochalsh, (j) Badenoch and Strathspey and (k) Argyll and Bute in each year from 2001 to 2007, showing the amount of each grant.

Rhona Brankin: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Information is only available by local authority area and at summary level. The following table sets out (a) the number of rural home ownership grants approved and (b) the average rural home ownership grant approved:

  Rural Home Ownership Grants Approved and Average Grant Approved

  

Unitary Authority
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04


Number of Grant Awards
Average Grant(£)
Number of Grant Awards
Average Grant(£)
Number of Grant Awards
Average Grant(£)


 Argyll and Bute
8
34,459
1
28,036
10
38,087


 Highland
15
20,012
27
19,905
36
22,540


 Orkney
25
17,680
26
18,070
28
19,894


 Shetland
5
14,154
3
17,666
1
19,686


 Western Isles
0
0
1
21,107
3
18,718



  

Unitary Authority
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07*


Number of Grant Awards
Average Grant(£)
Number of Grant Awards
Average Grant(£)
Number of Grant Awards
Average Grant(£)


 Argyll and Bute
9
44,343
6
41,320
7
51,651


 Highland
42
22,121
32
23,896
27
26,698


 Orkney
38
21,205
36
21,707
35
21,352


 Shetland
4
20,216
4
23,895
2
14,123


 Western Isles
2
21,819
2
26,398
3
19,843



  Note: *Up to 27 February 2007.

Housing

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what average time has been taken to reach a decision on approving rural home ownership grants and to inform applicants in (a) Caithness, (b) Sutherland, (c) Orkney, (d) Shetland, (e) the Western Isles, (f) Ross-shire, (g) Inverness-shire, (h) Skye, (i) Lochalsh, (j) Badenoch and Strathspey and (k) Argyll and Bute in each year from 2001 to 2007.

Rhona Brankin: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The information requested is not available. However, Communities Scotland aims to provide a grant applicant with a decision in principle within six weeks of receiving a fully completed outline application for funding. If the outline application is approved, a grant applicant will be asked to complete a more detailed application. Communities Scotland aims to make a final decision on whether grant can be awarded within six weeks of receiving the final piece of information needed to fully consider this application. If the more detailed application is approved, a formal offer of grant will be made.

Life Expectancy

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the 10 local authority (a) areas and (b) wards with the (i) highest and (ii) lowest life expectancies in (A) the latest year for which information is available and (B) 1996-97.

George Lyon: Life expectancy figures are normally calculated for a three year period, to provide large enough numbers to ensure accuracy. Figures are available up to 2003-2005.

  Information on life expectancy at birth for ranked local authority areas for the latest period is available from the General Register Office for Scotland’s website through the following link:

  http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/library/life-expectancy/le2003-05/list-of-tables.html.

  Although not ranked, figures for earlier years are also available from this web page.

  Information is not available for life expectancy at birth in each ward, because of the small size of the populations involved.

Maternity Services

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the new Larbert hospital will have a maternity unit that can deal with bleeding during pregnancy.

Mr Andy Kerr: It is for the NHS board to ensure that the maternity service provided meets local needs and that all staff have the skills to manage obstetric and neonatal emergencies.

  NHS Forth Valley will continue to provide a full range of community and in-patient maternity services. The new Larbert hospital will have a maternity department which can deal with a wide range of elective and emergency issues including bleeding during pregnancy.

NHS Hospitals

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when Stirling Royal Infirmary is due to close.

Mr Andy Kerr: The majority of services provided at Stirling Royal Infirmary will transfer to the new acute hospital to be built at Larbert. Services are due to be phased into the new hospital starting in late 2009.

  A community hospital will be developed on the existing Stirling Royal Infirmary site which will provide local access to out-patient and rehabilitation services. A business case for this is under development.

NHS Hospitals

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is for opening the accident and emergency unit at the new Larbert hospital.

Mr Andy Kerr: Services at the new hospital at Larbert, including the accident and emergency unit, are due to be phased into the new facility starting in late 2009.

  A Community Hospital will be developed on the existing Stirling Royal Site which will potentially provide local access to minor injury and out-of-hours services. A business case for this is under development.

NHS Staff

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many gynaecologists are employed in each NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: Gynaecologists are trained within the obstetrics and gynaecology specialty. Information held centrally therefore includes Obstetricians as well as gynaecologists. The most recent Information on the number of Obstetric and Gynaecology consultants by health board is as at 30 September 2006.

  Consultants Working in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (including Family Planning and Well Women Clinic)

  Headcount and Whole-Time Equivalent as at 30 September 2006

  

NHS Board
WTE
Headcount


 Ayrshire and Arran
10.8
11


 Borders
4.0
4


 Fife
10.0
10


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
53.9
56


 Highland
8.0
8


 Lanarkshire
13.5
14


 Grampian
21.5
23


 Lothian
29.9
34


 Tayside
9.3
10


 Forth Valley
8.3
9


 Western Isles
1.0
1


 Dumfries and Galloway
4.0
4


 Scotland
174.2
184



  Source: ISD Scotland.

NHS Staff

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are employed in running the NHS staff bank and, of these, how many are managers.

Mr Andy Kerr: It is not possible to explicitly identify the people employed in running the NHS staff bank from centrally held information. However, information on Administrative, Clerical and Senior Management staff in post by NHS board can be found in Section G on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, at www.isdscotland.org/workforce. Latest available figures as at 30 September 2006.

NHS Waiting Times

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for gynaecology out-patient appointments in each NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: The median waiting times for a first out-patient appointment at a consultant-led clinic in the specialty of gynaecology, following referral by a general medical practitioner, in the year ended 31 December 2006, by NHS board of residence, are given in the following table.

  Median waiting times are not an Executive target. Our policy is to reduce the longest waiting times for patients. On 31 December 2006, no patient with a guarantee had waited more than 26 weeks for a first out-patient appointment. This national maximum waiting time will be reduced to 18 weeks by the end of this year.

  NHSScotland. Median Waiting Times for a First Out-Patient Appointment in the Specialty of Gynaecology, Following Referral, by NHS Board of Residence. Year Ended 31 December 2006P

  

NHS Board
Median Wait


 Ayrshire and Arran
41 days


 Borders
22 days


 Dumfries and Galloway
34 days


 Fife
34 days


 Forth Valley
59 days


 Grampian
49 days


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
40 days


 Highland
29 days


 Lanarkshire
40 days


 Lothian
31 days


 Orkney Islands
30 days


 Shetland Islands
40 days


 Tayside
40 days


 Western Isles
23 days


 Scotland
38 days



  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR00.

  PProvisional.

NHS Waiting Times

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for gynaecology in-patient appointments in each NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: The median waiting times for in-patient and day case treatment in the specialty of gynaecology, in the year ended 31 December 2006, by NHS board of residence, are given in the following table.

  Median waiting times are not an Executive target. Our policy is to reduce the longest waiting times for patients. On 31 December 2006, no patient with a guarantee had waited more than 18 weeks for in-patient and day case treatment-delivering the Executive’s commitment one year ahead of schedule.

  NHSScotland Median Waiting Times1 for In-Patient and Day Case Treatment in the Specialty of Gynaecology, by NHS Board of Residence. Year Ended 31 December 2006P

  

NHS Board
Median Wait


 Ayrshire And Arran
38 days


 Borders
28 days


 Dumfries and Galloway
46 days


 Fife
36 days


 Forth Valley
30 days


 Grampian
24 days


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
26 days


 Highland
32 days


 Lanarkshire
34 days


 Lothian
42 days


 Orkney Islands
27 days


 Shetland Islands
75 days


 Tayside
20 days


 Western Isles
34 days


 Scotland
31 days



  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR01.

  PProvisional.

  Note: 1. Includes patients with Availability Status Codes

Non-Domestic Rates

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what total amount of revenue from business rates was lost in 2005-06 as a result of hardship relief being granted to businesses under the provisions of section 25A (remission of rates on the ground of hardship) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1966 (as amended).

Mr Tom McCabe: The total amount of hardship relief for which local authorities budgeted in 2005-06, as reported in audited returns they made to the Scottish Executive, was £192,092.

Ports

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether pilots on the River Clyde can be transferred as part of any sale or acquisition of Clydeport and, if so, what steps the Executive would be able to take in respect of this issue in the event of ownership of the ports by a foreign buyer.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether pilots and regulation of pilotage on the River Clyde can be sold or acquired as part of any prospective sale of Clydeport and, if so, what steps the Executive can take in event of ownership of the ports transferring to a foreign buyer.

Tavish Scott: Clydeport is the competent harbour authority for approximately 450 square miles of the River Clyde, its estuary and sea lochs and is responsible for regulating arrangements for pilotage in its operational area as required by the Pilotage Act 1987. Any potential change of ownership would not affect the designated status of the port and its ability and duty to provide pilotage services.

Ports

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which organisation is responsible for monitoring, supervising and regulating pilotage in Clyde ports.

Tavish Scott: Clydeport is the competent harbour authority for approximately 450 square miles of the River Clyde, its estuary and sea lochs. It is responsible for regulating arrangements for pilotage in its operational area, and also for authorising pilots to conduct pilotage. Part of this duty involves keeping the need for pilotage and the service provided under review.

Public Private Partnerships

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to investigate the design quality of schools and other public buildings financed through PPP and how they compare in this respect with public buildings financed through traditional and alternative routes and what the conclusions were of any such investigations.

Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive encourages local authorities to evaluate all new school buildings, however procured, to assess how well the design and facilities are meeting the needs of users, and to take account of and share lessons learned.

  The Executive has not carried out any investigations of the type described. Authorities have the same degree of control over the design brief and specifications as to quality, whatever the procurement method.

Road Accidents

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many injuries or fatal road accidents have involved horses in the last five years, broken down by police constabulary.

Tavish Scott: Data about injury road accidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executive using the STATS 19 statistical report form. These returns cover only road accidents in which one or more people were injured and which become known to the police. The returns do not cover accidents which involved injury only to horses, "damage only" accidents, or accidents of which the police are unaware because they were not reported by the public.

  The STATS 19 returns collect information about the vehicles involved in each accident, using a code-list which has an entry for "ridden horse". The returns do not have codes which identify horses which were involved in other ways, such as those pulling carts, being led, or running free. However, as the type of vehicle code for "other non-motor vehicles" and the carriageway hazards code for "any animal in carriageway (except ridden horse)" are not used for many of the reported accidents, it seems likely that there are few such reported accidents which involve horses.

  The following table provides the information that is available. The police forces are listed in the standard order which is used in Road Accidents Scotland. Figures for 2006 should become available in June.

  Reported Personal Injury or Fatal Road Accidents which Involved Ridden Horses.

  

Police Force Area
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005


 Northern
0
0
0
0
0


 Grampian
0
1
0
0
1


 Tayside
1
1
0
0
0


 Fife
0
0
1
0
0


 Lothian and Borders
2
2
1
1
1


 Central
0
0
0
0
1


 Strathclyde
1
2
1
1
3


 Dumfries and Galloway
0
0
1
0
0

Roads

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates the cost to the public purse would be of cancelling the (a) M74 extension and (b) Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Tavish Scott: Total estimated expenditure to end February 2007 for land, compensation and scheme development for the M74 Completion is £156 million. Total estimated expenditure to end February 2007 for scheme development for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route is £19 million.

  Further costs would result from payments that would be due to consultants and contractors for the winding up of any contracts. Remaining compensation payments for any land acquired would require to be settled.

Skye Bridge

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-31693 by Tavish Scott on 19 February 2007, how long the toll period would have lasted if the Skye Bridge concession had not been bought out.

Tavish Scott: The Assignation Statement relating to the Skye Bridge crossing stated that the anticipated length of the concession period was 14 to 18 years after the bridge opened to traffic. The actual length of the toll period was dependent on traffic flows, costs and tolls collected.

Skye Bridge

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-31693 by Tavish Scott on 19 February 2007, how the public and the Highland Regional Council were informed of the length of toll period represented by the arrangement referred to in the answer.

Tavish Scott: The anticipated length of the toll period was set out in the Skye Bridge Assignation Statement , which was made available for public inspection in October and November 1991.

Teachers

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what allowance is made in teachers’ time to ensure that parent/teacher consultations take place, following the McCrone Report.

Hugh Henry: Under the terms of the Agreement A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century the allocation of time for a range of planned activities, including parent consultations, is a matter for local agreement by local authorities and individual schools. All schools have locally agreed working time agreements. The Scottish Executive would expect schools to react to any parental concerns over such matters.

Teachers

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it gives to local authorities and schools regarding the holding of parent/teacher consultation sessions.

Hugh Henry: Arrangements for parent/teacher consultations are a matter for local agreement by local authorities and individual schools.

Water Charges

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to consult on any changes to the current exemption scheme from water and sewerage charges after it expires in 2010 and, if so, when and how the consultation will take place.

Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-31878 on 2 March 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.